The location of a break in a rod caused by an angler "high sticking" depends upon the placement of the angler's upper (non-reeling) hand. A rod will not break below this point from high sticking. A break in "solid titanium" guide, even a titanium alloy guide, seems like an extremely remote possibility.
Forum: rodboard

Guide wear is seldom if ever an issue on fly rods, even on stripper guides. Snake guides are traditional, light, they look good, and they work. However, there is no accounting for taste. For a true "traditional" look you could use chrome rings dangling from keepers lashed to the rod blank.
Forum: rodboard

The rod needs to be matched to the caster. A fly caster who does not haul can not cast more than 50' and probably has a sore arm and shoulder at the end of the day - caused by trying to "muscle" the cast, not by the weight of the line or the rod. A medium action, or better yet a slow action rod may encourage such fly casters to slow down, save their strength, and reduce fatigue in their
Forum: rodboard

As a side note, fly fishers who do not want to double-haul or have no need to double haul where they fish have no particular need for a fast-action fly rod.
Forum: rodboard

Leveraged weight is a multiple of the weight being moved by a lever, but the weight of a reel seat is at the fulcrum of a cast so leverage is not a factor. You would gain more advantage by taking two fewer turns of thread on each rod wrap than by using a reel seat 20 grams lighter.
Forum: rodboard

There are a number of people who can cast a fly line 50' or more with just the line and their arm, no reel and no rod. There is no reason to get too picky about a rod used to fly cast 50' or less. Any 5' rod, even a casting or a spinning rod can cast a fly line 50' when matched with the right fly line and the right caster. The characteristics of a fly rod blank become more critical as casts becom
Forum: rodboard

The first 30' of some new 8wt. fly lines weigh close to 300 grains. The first 40' of some new (nominal) 8wt. fly lines weigh well over 300 grains. Some new (nominal) 8 wt. rods cast these lines beautifully in the right hands. Successful fly casting depends on the rod AND the line AND the angler. I have found fly casting students are most successful using an "over lined," fast action rod
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The 2016 Yellowstone Angler 8-Weight Shootout included these six 8wt. rods , including cloth sleeves and rod tubes: 1@$100, 1@$160, 1 @$249, 1@$260, 2@280 The $249 rod rated 4th best all-around rod out of the 20 tested. I built a fly rod on the blank of the $249 rod. It cost me $152 to build and it's the equal of several $700+ (built out) fly rods. I am happy I followed the recommendations of re
Forum: rodboard

The AFTMA standard measure of fly lines - the weight in grains of the first 30 feet of fly line - was adopted in 1961, before the commercial appearance of the first graphite rod. AFTMA bamboo-fiberglass era fly line specifications have not changed in 56 years. The AFTMA disappeared 40 years ago. In 1961 every integrated fly line had a 30 foot head. Today precious few fly lines have a 30 foot head
Forum: rodboard

Yellowstone Angler periodically does a double-blind test of a dozen or so rods of the same "weight," assimilating the opinions of a group of acknowledged master fly casters. The ratings are given in several categories, including accuracy, distance, finish, value,etc. You can look these tests up on line. I find then very informative.
Forum: rodboard

The obsolete AFTMA "line weight" system applies only to the weight of the 1st 30 feet of line, which used to be the length of the heads of fly lines. Today the heads of integrated fly lines vary between 18' and 50'. Combine that uncertainty with the ongoing evolution of minimizing rod "weight" designation by rod manufacturers and you pretty much have to test cast the line that
Forum: rodboard

The art in rod building is matching the rod to the abilities and expectations of the user. This is the most valuable service the custom rod builder supplies, and one that an off-the shelf retailer does not provide. I'm quite sure a programable robot loom could produce pretty much any thread pattern a person could desire, but electronic mechanization can not replace thoughtful communication betwee
Forum: rodboard

Do not set a completion date. Go with the flow.
Forum: rodboard

Commercial fishermen are out to make a living, not to gain prestige - except, of course, unless they become "reality stars". Then they will tout products, for sure.
Forum: rodboard

Digital electronic scales are relatively cheap - less than $25. It's quick and easy to measure and weigh the first 30 feet of fly line to determine the AFTMA "weight" of a fly line and the matching "weight" fly rod it is best suited for. Be advised, the AFTMA is based on an integrated "shooting head taper" configuration: 30 feet of weighted head, 60 feet of running l
Forum: rodboard

Salt water fishing? Will you be using #30 monofilament or #30 superbraid? How big are the fish you are likely to hook up on? For light surf casting I have been happy with a 9 foot "steelhead" blank mated to a Stradic 4000 filled with #20 braid. I imagine this line is plenty heavy for this blank, although I do not know this rod's breaking strength. I hate to "overline" conventi
Forum: rodboard

I strongly suspect chemical contamination rather than mechanical trouble. Problems with rotation while curing epoxy will produce either a sag in epoxy on one side of the blank or continuous anomaly all the way around the circumference of the blank.
Forum: rodboard

"Ten pound test" monofilaments usually test 12 to 15 pounds breaking strength, while fly lines usually test about twice that.
Forum: rodboard

Russ: I appreciate and agree with your insights. I suspect heavier blanks sacrifice additional weight for strength, while lighter blanks sacrifice strength for speed, especially fly rod blanks. Sacrifices must be made, and anglers must decide the priorities and trade-offs necessary to get the blank they want for the fishing they intend to do. Making an informed decision depends upon having reliab
Forum: rodboard

I confess I am ignorant: Ignorant of how strong my fishing rods are. For some reason fellow anglers don't want me or other curious rod builders to know how strong our rod blanks are, or whether they are all about the same.
Forum: rodboard

Hopefully some savvy blank maker will provide information about the physical abilities and limitations of their blanks instead of gushing about "soulful action" and "big hog tough" and other such vapid marketing hogwash - and let serious rod builders get on with business.
Forum: rodboard

I fish the surf in Florida, I am careful to avoid "high sticking," and unlike fishing lakes and rivers I never know when I might hook into a #50 or #100 fish. I hate breaking rods almost as much as I hate losing big fish. For less than 50 cents I can determine the real breaking strength of a particular line, but it will cost me $300 to determine the breaking point of a $300 surf rod HEL
Forum: rodboard

Ignorance of pertinent facts is never a desirable condition. The measured, tested breaking strain of a blank at a certain angle of strain is a pertinent for me. If others would not like to have this information they are welcome to ignore it.
Forum: rodboard

Jay: My point exactly! How do I know if a rod is a #10 or a 30# rod unless I break it myself? Many of us have seen a novice angler with a light spin rod and reel loaded with #30 Mason mono, or its equivalent, but we would not make that error. Still, I fear I may be making a similar if not so serious error when I really don't know how much strain the rod I'm using can bear. Both novice and experie
Forum: rodboard

The line or the tippet is the "fuse" in most fishing tackle: they will break before the rod or reel breaks. Line manufacturers always (mis)state the breaking strength of their line, as in "The strongest ten-pound-test line in the world." (??!) It would be helpful if manufacturers stated the breaking strength of their rod blanks at, say, a 45 degree angle to the strain. No sen
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The hook point is the business end. If you want a "soft" result you can use really stretchy monofilament. Gelspun braid will make a whippy rod as "hard" as a blank costing 3X as much. A fishing outfit and its performance is an assembly of several different constituent parts, including rod, reel, line, bait/lure, hook(s), and most important, the user.
Forum: rodboard

I'm surprised that you have many hooks pull out of pompano. Nearly every pompano I have lost while using small (#1) circle hooks was grabbed by a predator.
Forum: rodboard

Water will go everywhere there isn't something else there first.
Forum: rodboard

I use circle hooks exclusively for pompano. So do commercial fishermen. The rod holder sets the hook, and does so better than the best rod blank in the hands of the best fisherman.
Forum: rodboard

Today a fly line marketed as a "7 weight" could weigh anywhere from 177 grains to 205 grains in the first 30 feet, but the next 20 or 30 feet could weigh between 30 and 90 grains more. Some fly fishers never back cast more than 20' of line. The AFTMA number might be ok for them. Others frequently carry 40' or even 50' of line in the air. Knowing the weight of that line between the 30' a
Forum: rodboard